Celtic profit from major injustice as Daizen Maeda footage emerges - pundit
Alan Hutton has suggested Alex Cochrane's sending off against Celtic on Sunday (7 May) was "harsh".
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Rangers defender said referee Nick Walsh's onfield decision of a yellow card was correct.
As shown on Sky Sports (7 May), Cochrane was sent off just before the end of the first half at Tynecastle for pulling down Daizen Maeda inside Hearts' half.
Walsh initially booked the Hearts defender but VAR official Willie Collum instructed the referee to have another look at the incident and he sent off Cochrane.
The Hoops then went on to win the game 2-0 and clinch the Scottish Premiership title for the second year in a row.
When asked if a red card was the right decision, Hutton told Football Insider:
"It is very subjective," he told Football Insider.
"This is not me saying this because of Rangers I thought it was a harsh red.
"Like with the Connor Goldson challenge, from the angle that Maeda is coming from you are not central and bearing down on goal. Is he 100 per cent going to get a shot off? I am not sure.
"I think the original decision was the correct one, it was a yellow card. But the referee has then been asked to go to the monitor and we know whenever that happens he is going to overturn it.
"I can see why Steven Naismith is upset about it, it definitely changes the game. Celtic then go on to overpower Hearts and get the two goals but for me it was a yellow card and a free kick."